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The onset of winter in Delhi brings sweet fragrances and colourful flowers, a delectable treat for sore eyes. While Shillong in Meghalaya at this time of the year sees radiating pinkish-white Cherry Blossom trees, Delhi blooms in its own mauvish, pink, magenta Kachnar (from late winter to spring) and the Silk floss glories – offering much-needed respite from the hustle and bustle all around.
Kachnar, also known as Bauhinia, the Indian orchid tree, offers dense shade, and the flowers have a mild, pleasant fragrance – good enough for enthusiasts to rest under its canopy and enjoy the fruits of nature.
A silk floss tree in full bloom at Lodhi Gardens (Credit: Swasti Pachauri)
One finds the intermittent Orchid tree or Kachnar flowers sneaking from its lush green leaves in bunches, carpeting the earth with their majestic petals and fallen flowers.
Similar to the flowers of Kachnar are the Silk floss flowers. In Lodhi Gardens, some of these trees are right next to each other, thus making it difficult to distinguish between them because of their uncanny similarities — from a distance, at least. However, paying closer attention to the anatomy of both these trees will give you some answers.
While Kachnar leaves are butterfly-shaped, they are also referred to as having “camel-foot-like foliage.” On the other hand, the leaves of the Silk floss are compound and palm-shaped. Moreover, Silk floss flowers are a combination of various shades of pink and white, while Kachnar flowers are in scintillating shades of fuchsia and pink.
Kachnar is also rare, and the sight of these flowers makes one miss the abundance of summer when Amaltas and Gulmohur paint the city with their rich shades. Silk floss sheds its leaves just before it blooms in various hues of pink, thus making a carpet of dried foliage and flower petals found under the trees.
Kachnaar also blooms in white and yellow and is a sight to behold. The yellow flowers of Kachnaar are called “Kanchan.”
The flowers, resplendent in beautiful colours of pink, make for popular ornamental trees dotting streets, public gardens, and urban cityscapes and are planted as avenue trees.
Kachnaar flowers, buds, leaves have culinary value (Credit: Swasti Pachauri)
One can spot many of these in Lodhi Gardens, Delhi, on streets and main roads, making for a floral delight to relish and making it easier to bear with the pollution and the harsh winter.
Karishma Shah, Integrative Nutritionist and Health Psychologist, says, “Kachnar flowers, leaves, and buds have tremendous herbal, culinary, and medicinal value. Its produce is traditionally used in recipes with health benefits.”
In fact, on YouTube, many videos delve into the culinary potential of the Kachnar flowers – Kachnar ke phool ki sabzi, Kachnar ki pali ki sabzi, and Kachnar flower pakodas.
Harsingaar, a tree full of stars
Harsingaar, Parijat white flowers with orange stems (Credit: Swasti Pachauri)
Delhi bathes in the aromas of Harsingaar at the onset of autumn and early winter. Harsingaar/ Parijaat/ Shiuli flowers at the beginning of autumn. A night flowering small tree or shrub, it is a delight to observe these flowers blossom at night. Full of tiny, star-like flowers – its white, fragrant flowers with orange stems bloom in the night, and one wakes up to a carpet of these in the morning as the flowers fall on earth, spreading their scent around.
During Durga Puja, the Shiuli flowers are used in prayer ceremonies. The flowers also inspire jewelry designs and block prints and have applications in aromatherapy, with Harsingaar essential oils making quite a rage while also having a potential value in herbal medicine.
‘Blackboard’ tree and a sweet fragrance
Similarly, the start of winter in Delhi is associated with the enigmatic sweet fragrance of the “Saptaparni” or the seven leaves. Unnoticeable and camouflaging, in the center of the “seven leaves” are the Saptaparni flowers – tiny greenish-white flowers growing in clusters. Saptaparni spreads its sweet fragrance and is a popular avenue tree. The wood of this tree is used in making blackboards and slates, and it is thus colloquially known as the “blackboard tree.” It is believed that Saptaparni was first planted in Delhi’s Golflinks in the 1940s.
Saptaparni fragrant blooms (Credit: Swasti Pachauri)
Devil’s Tree, “Bhutiya Vriksh,” or “Shaitan ka ped” are other names for Saptaparni. In some instances, the Saptaparni tree has also caught notoriety for causing health issues and respiratory allergies among people. The place where I live has several Saptaparni dotted on the streets. A tea seller conveniently sells his tea under the shade of this mysterious Saptaparni. Similarly, a magazine seller sells second-hand books and newspapers using the fragrant Saptaparni to their advantage. Experts cite ecological hazards like the Saptaparni using too much water in some instances. However, this is a heritage avenue tree in several places in Delhi. Mandi house has several plants planted in a row, blooming abundantly from October to December.
Trees, flowers, and plants add to the ornamental natural capital of cities. Delhi, known for its greenery, can come up with initiatives that utilise the green heritage of our cities, generating knowledge capital, advocacy, and increasing awareness of the citizenry around green governance. Flower shows, competitions, and exhibitions like the annual Chrysanthemum show hosted by the YWCA and the All India Winter Rose show organized by the Rose Society of India are some exciting steps to promote flori-tourism. Bilateral diplomatic initiatives focused on green diplomacy, for instance, the tulip cultivation initiative with the Netherlands, are welcome steps.
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